Vestibule for articulated cars



VESTIBULE FOR ARTICULATD CARS Filed Jan. 2o, 192s 3 sheets-sheet 1 w.GRIFFIN" VESTIBULE FOR ARTICULATED CARS Filed Jan. 20, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet W Vm..

/rraawfy Sept. l0, 1929. w. GRlFFlN 1,727,542

vEsTIuLE Fon ARTICULATED cms Filed Jan. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED ,STATES irrita sArENTfoFFIcfE.

WILLIAM GRIFIIN, or rAssAIc, NEW InasnxfAssIGNon ,fro AMERICAN CAB, yANDFOUNDRY ooi/IBANY, .on NEW YORK, N. Y., A oonroRArIoNor NEW JERSEY.

vnsTIBULE `non An'rIoULArnn crime.,` y

Application led January 20, y1928.y Serial No. 243,135. p

Reference is had to ythe accompanying drawings which illustrate thepreferred form of the invention; though it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, as it is obvious that vvarious modifications thereof withinthe scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art. y

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of a vestibule for articulated cars construct-edmaccordancewith this invention, the portion to the right o the centerbeing shown in elevation; the. portion to the left being shown invertical section and p he supporting truck being shown in broken mes;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 lshowingthe positions of the diaphragms and vestibule floor plate with ,20 thecar bodies alined;v

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; p

Fig. l is aviewsimilar to Fig. 2 showing the car bodies disposed at anangle to each other;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the means for securing thevestibule diaphragm sections together;

Figs. 6, 7 8, 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 5 showing modifiedsecuring means;

n Fig. 11 is a' view similar to Fig. l showing a modified vestibulevfloor plate; and i Fig. 12 is' a partialvertical sectiontaken on theline 12-12 of Fig.`11.

It is an object of this invention tonprovide an improved vestibuleconnection between the bodies of an articulated vcar which will providea safe passageway between the car bodies for passengers at alltimes,which will permit of the use of the cars on curves oi" small radii andwhich will permit of the ready separation of the car bodies. y y l Asshown kin the drawings, the invention is tion comprising a plurality ofcar bodies 1 and 2 having their adjacent ends supported upon a commontruck 3 by means of body center hearings 4 and 5 secured to therespective car 5.0 bodies and supported upon a truck center shownapplied to an articulated car construen bearing 6 carried upon a`bolster 7 yof the truck 3 and secured `thereto by a king bolt `r8. Thisconstructionvis describedin the application ot' Allen E. OstranderandVictor Villoughby, Serial No.24`4,399, liled January 4:, 1928, and doesnot form a part of this invention. While a particular `means forsecuring the car bodies together and to the truck is shown, it is to beunderstood thatthis invention may be used with any suitable connectingmeans. y

Mounted upon the floor plates 9 and y10 of the car bodies 1 and 2,respectively, is a vestibule floor plate `12 which spans the openingbetween the ends of the car floor plates and serves to form the floor ofa passageway between the car ends. The edges of the floor plate12adjacent the `car ends are overlapped by threshold plates 141 and16carried kby the car floor plates, and by false posts 18 and 2() carriedby the end posts 22 and24 of the respective car ends. While thethreshold `plates and false posts overlap the edges of the vestibuleloor plates, theydo not rbear upon the vestibule floor plates, and thevestibule floor p plates are fre/exto movewith respect `to the falseposts and threshold plates. As shown in Figs. 2 and '41, the edges 13 ofthe vestibule floor plates 12 adjacent fthe `car ends are straight andcooperate with .the shoulder portions 17 and 19 of the thresholdplateswhich are'inclined to the kinner edges 13 of thevestibule floor `plates12 so as to provide clearance, as shown in Fig. 4to permit ofthe carbodies 1 and 2 taking a position atan angle to each other'uponcurves. Asshown in Figs. 11 and 12, the vestibule floor plate 12A may be circularand the shoulders 17A of the threshold plates 18A. yand 20A corre- 90spondingly curved to fit the'vestibule floor plate.` Otherwisetheyconstruction shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is identical with theconstruction shown `in Figs. 2 and 4. c d y To permit `ofthe insertionand.k removal of the king pin 8 whichy secures the center bearings tothe truck` 13, thevestibule floor plate 12' is provided with an openingat ,the center, kclosed by a late k26K secured to the vestibule yfloor`plate y screws ,27as shown 100 in Fig. 2. Extending between the ends ofthe adjacent car bodies are grab handles 30,

Y each comprising a sleeve 3l and a rod 32 telej not only to provide a.convenient means for passengers to grasp, but to vprovide a means forpreventing passengers from being thrown against the vestibule diaphragm36 which extends between the car ends.

The vestibule diaphragm 36 is composed of a plurality vof vestibulesections, each section comprising a plurality of strips 37 which aresecured together at their edges as shown and extend in arch shape fromone vside of the vestibule lloor plate to the other. The strips adjacentthe car ends are secured to Aangles 38 carried by the posts 18 and 20and to Z members 44 secured to the carbodyV end plates V46 by anglesf40held to the angle 38 and members`44 by pins 42 which extend throughvopenings in the strips and angles and Z-member and are secured theres rin in any desired manner as by keys 43.

As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the sections secured to the adjacent carends are secured together by means of a ilanged channel 47 of arch shapewhich rests upon the floor plate 12 and which extends with the diaphragmfrom one side ot the vestibule floor plate to :the other, and in which,as shown in Fig. 5, the

adjacent end strips 37 of theidiaphragm sections are inserted. Avsectional illcrstrip 48 of wood or other suitable material is insertedbetween the strips 37and the strips 37 and y43 secured together in thechannel 47 by vmeans for securing the end strips 37 to the channel 47may be modified. As.v shown in Fig. 6, the end strips 37A are of greaterwidth than in Fig. 5 andare folded about a cylindrical iller 5lproviding enlarged edges 49' which are received in the recesses 52formed in the flanges 53 of the channel 47A. A sectional iller 48A isinserted between the ends 37Aholding the edges 49 in therecesses 52 andthe ends 37A and filler 48A are secured in the channel by means of bolts54 and nuts 55. As shown in Fig. 7, the channel member 47B is providedwith a recess 52B in one flange only and thesectional filler strip 48Bis-inserted between the straight flange 53B and the Vfolded back end otthe strip 37B. The strips 37 B and iller 48B are secured in the channelby the bolts 54 and nuts 55. As shown in Fig. 8, one end strip 37 Ctisriveted to one ilange 53C ofthe' channel 47C, while the other end strip37C is riveted to one leg of lJ-shape sections 56 oli spring metalengaged on the edge of the strip. The strip 37 C and spring sections 56are then inserted in the channel 47 C and the ends 37C secured thereinas by pins 57 held in position by keys 58. In this construction thespring sections 56 are relied upon to hold the strips 37Cinengagementwith the Channel 47C to prevent moisi ture or draughts from enteringthrough openings between the strips V37C and the channel 47C. In Fig. 9one ot the strips 37D is` secured to a llange 53D of the channel 47Dwhile to the other strip 37D is secured a tapered filler strip 48D. Thel'iller strip 48D is madein sections, as are the filler strips 48 and48A, and thefstrips 37 D and filler strip 48D are secured in position inthe channel 47D lin the construction shown in Fig. l0, the channelmember 47 E isprovided with laterally projecting flanges 60 of greaterwidth than the laterally projecting llanges on the Vby-means of pins 57Yand keys 58. as in Fig. k8.

channels 47 of the other views; and to these l channels are secured thestrips 37E by means of bolts 62 and nuts 63; 'sectional protectingstrips 64 being provided between the heads of the bolts y62 and thestrips 37 E.

The construction above described provides Y a vestibule connectionbetween the car bodies of an articulated car which provides a sate andconvenient protecting passageway between the adjacent car bodies atalltimes;

which willpermit of using the articulated carconstruction on railwaysinwhich curves of short radii are necessary; and which permits of readilyseparating the vestibulesections orof readily detaching the vestibulefrom the car ends to permit of the separation yof the car bodies whenthat is necessary.

y What is claimed is:v

1.1111 an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car`bodies, vestibule diaphragm sectionssecured to said bodies and meansconnecting saiddiaphra'gni sections to form a continuous diaphragmbetween said car bodies.

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2. In an articulated car, a pluralityoi` relaphragm comprising sectionssecured together and to said bodies. n

4. In an articulated car, a'plurality of relatively movable car bodies,diaphragm sections secured to said bodies and a continuous channelmember connecting said diaphragm sections to form a continuous diaphragmbetween said bodies.

5. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,diaphragm sections secured to said bodies, a continuous channel memberand means detachably con# necting said diaphragm sections and channel.

6. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,vestibule diaphragms secured to said bodies, means connecting saiddiaphragms, and a vestibule floor plate supported on said bodies.

7. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,vestibule diaphragm sections secured to said bodies, means connectingsaid diaphragm sections, and a vestibule floor plate extending betweensaid bodies and supporting the diaphragm section connecting means.

8. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,a vestibule floor pla-te extending between and supported on said bodies,and threshold plates mounted on said bodies and overlapping said floorplates. I

9. In an articulated car, a plurality of rela tively movable car bodies,a vestibule floor plate extending between and supported on said bodies,threshold plates mounted on said bodies and overlapping said floorplate,

and a guiding means for said floor plate carried by said bodies.

l0. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,a vestibule floor plate mounted on said bodies, diaphragm sectionssecured to said bodies, a continuous channel member connecting saidsections and bearing on said floor plate, and threshold plates mountedon said bodies and overlapping said floor plate.

11. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car bodies,a vestibule floor plate extending between said bodies, and thresholdplates and posts mounted on said bodies and overlapping said floorplate.

12. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable car.bodies, a vestibule floor plate extending between said bodies, thresholdplates and posts mounted on said bodies and overlapping said floorplate, diaphragm sections secured to said posts, and means connectingsaid diaphragm sections carried by said Hoor plate.

A13. In an articulated car, a plurality of relatively movable carbodies, a vestibule floor plate extending between said bodies, thresholdplates and posts mounted on said bodies and overlapping said floorplate, diaphragm WILLIAM GRIFFIN.

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